If you don’t know much about Buddhism, it can seem quite confusing and nebulous. With its emergence into the West, Buddhism has taken on new approaches and meanings to people that may have otherwise never had access to it.  Eyal Aviv is an Assistant Professor at Columbian College of Arts & Sciences and a Buddhist scholar that offers a very informed and well-rounded perspective on the Buddhist worldview.  Born in Israel, and surrounded by people who were practicing Judaism, Christianity, and Islam for his formative years, Aviv’s curiosity in Buddhist philosophy sparked after he attended a meditation retreat in Thailand as a young adult.  In this podcast he discusses: What makes Buddhism unique among religions in the modern period Early Buddhist philosophy and how it has spread over the years The fascinating subject of philosophy of mind Why does Buddhism appeal to such a large variety of people? On top of all this, learn about what resources Eyal Aviv recommends to people that are interested in exploring Buddhism and much more by pressing play and tuning in now! Find more about Buddhism and Eyal Aviv’s work at https://religion.columbian.gwu.edu/eyal-aviv or on Twitter @aviv_eyal. Episode also available on Apple Podcast: http://apple.co/30PvU9C